In 2016, the EU adopted Regulations providing for a new Single School Scheme merging the existing School Milk Scheme with the existing School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme under a new legal and financial framework from the 2017/18 school year, commencing on 1 August 2017. Under this new framework, each participating Member State was required to submit to the EU Commission a six year Statement of Strategy setting out its particular objectives for the scheme for this duration. Ireland submitted its six year Statement of Strategy in July 2017. The 2018/19 school year is the second year of this strategy.
With regard to the School Milk Scheme, one of Ireland’s main objectives in the Strategy is to halt the decline in the participation rate by Irish schoolchildren in the school milk scheme, which has been declining steadily over the last number of years, and thereby contribute to the formulation of healthy eating habits and choices at an early age.
Under the new framework, which takes effect from the 2017/2018 school year, the National Dairy Council (NDC) was appointed to manage and run the School Milk Scheme on the ground at school level in Ireland.
The NDC ran a National School Milk Week in April 2018 together with a targeted publicity and early recruitment campaign for schools to sign up to the Scheme for the 2018/19 school year.
Accompanying educational measures are an essential element of the new School Scheme. Ireland has introduced new accompanying educational measures including the NDC’s Moo Crew school based programme, which provides a positive platform to educate children about dairy and the importance of dairy as part of a balanced diet. This programme includes dairy based lesson plans, DVD’s and other tailored activities for all participating school children. Additionally, fun packs for Montessori schools and specific nutrition booklets for junior and senior pupils in primary and secondary schools are distributed.
The model of delivery in the 2018/2019 School Year of the School Milk Scheme in Ireland will stay largely the same as the 2017/18 school year which was the first year of the new framework, but will include more frequent deliveries, where feasible, and a minimum of 2 weeks free milk for participating schoolchildren.
My Department will continue to work with the National Dairy Council in the 2018/19 school year to pilot additional activities under the school milk scheme.
